Whill Raises $11 Million Series A for High-Performance ‘Wheelchair’

Whill has developed an omnidirectional four-wheel-drive mobility device.

Whill

Don’t call it a wheelchair. It is an “omnidirectional four-wheel-drive mobility device” designed and built by veterans of the automotive industry.

The company behind it, Whill Inc., has just raised an $11 million Series A round to ramp up production of the high-tech device, which cannot only roll uphill over rough terrain but can also turn on a dime, Chief Executive Satoshi Sugie said.

The high-performance vehicle is meant to give wheelchair users a sleek alternative to standard chairs, which many believe reinforce stereotypes of weakness or helplessness.

Whill, based in San Francisco and with offices in Japan, took the grand prize in 2012 at TechCrunch Tokyo. The company went on to raise $35,000 through Kickstarter, a campaign that Mr. Sugie said was more about bringing attention to the vehicle than it was about raising money.

The company’s designers, some of whom are veterans of Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Corp., took about a year-and-a-half to design, prototype and build the company’s device, which it calls the Model A.

Whill

Whill has thus far manufactured and presold about 50 of the $9,500 devices, thanks to exposure the company received through TechCrunch and Kickstarter.

The Model A has both an electric motor and a battery, Vice President of Sales Kolbeinn Bjornsson said, and can reach speeds of 5.5 miles an hour and travel 12 miles before it needs a battery recharge at a standard electrical outlet. The electric motor doesn’t require fuel or maintenance, he added.

The four-wheel drive enables the machine to roll over gravel, wet sand or other difficult terrain, he said. The maneuverability of the device comes from the front wheels, which Whill calls omni-wheels or gliding wheels. The gliding wheels are comprised of a main wheel, which is surrounded by small wheels that give the device a tight turning radius and enable it to move in any direction, company materials said.

Standard wheelchairs and powerchairs cost between $4,000 and $10,000, Mr. Bjornsson said, but insurance companies often foot the bill for their purchase. Insurers, however, haven’t agreed to reimburse for purchases of the high-tech Model A.

For this reason, Whill is attempting to go beyond straight-to-consumer sales, and aims to sell to high-end hotels, resorts, museums and other businesses that may want to offer such devices to their guests, he said.

Whill is about to put out a new model, the Model M, which might sell for a lower price and be easier to mass-produce, Mr. Bjornsson said.

The company’s Series A round will enable Whill to produce more units, which it does through a manufacturer in Taiwan, and to unveil the Model M.

Comments (5 of 7)

Seems low on Milage & speed, looks an interesting design but why grey rear tyres as they wear down much faster than the black tyres which are made of a more durable compound. Is the chair able to have different seating & backrest options for different disability needs. How expensive & easy to obrain would replacement parts be? Is the 12 miles range actual real world Milage or is it on a flat straight track or a rolling road? Seems like the chair wasn't designed by a wheelchair user, who would worry about replacement parts maintenance etc. rather a designer who wanted to win a styling award. We need strong but lightweight frames, long life lithium polymer batteries which are longer lasted lighter & give better Milage. Brushless motors which ar about 20% more efficient than 4 pole motors with brushes. Also a waterproof controllers & tyres with built in suspension. (I've seen some interesting ones) no more solid tyres uncomfortable tyres or ordinary ones prone to punctures

9:40 am September 11, 2014

Craig Doninger wrote:

I don't know where you are getting that 4,000 to 10,000 price. My manual chair cost 4k but my power chair cost $25,900.00. I would be really interested in getting more info on this chair.

3:00 pm September 9, 2014

Anonymous wrote:

I'd rather hold my opinion until someone that has to use one can tell me about it's long term performance, durability, and comfort. Many a time I've seen fancy chairs broken down due to faulty parts that are to expensive to replace or fix. Most medical insurances don't cover repairs

7:56 pm September 7, 2014

Jun Itabadhi wrote:

Why I and many other wheelchair users haven't seen WHILL performing here I Japan, namely Tokyo?
Two months ago one of WHILL's staff came by and we had a one hour ride around my area. Not only that guys ridding performance was a total fiasco but the WHILL chair as well.
In my opinion WHILL is a lemon .

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